Listen: PubliCola on KUOW
Two week-ending shows on local issues, including an AI-written story designed to get everyone mad about pizza.
By Erica C. Barnett
I got the opportunity to be on KUOW Radio twice this week, with only one overlapping topic—the recent decision by Amazon to force all its white-collar workers to return to their physical offices, with assigned seats, five days a week. (If you’re new here, I think this is bad).
First, I was on Seattle Now’s “Casual Friday” episode with Jeannie Yandle (filling in for regular host Patricia Murphy) and author Jodi-Ann Burey, who feels the same way as I do about forced in-person work, only maybe even more so? We talked about the value of people’s time and employers’ efforts to micromanage workers into greater efficiency before turning to other subjects, including what we find most annoying about Seattle drivers (for the love of god, just GO! If you don’t, Jodi and I will honk at you!) and an AI article claiming Seattle is the best pizza city in the US (sure).
Then, I was on Week In Review, hosted by Bill Radke, with longtime radio host Gabriel Spitzer and former attorney general Rob McKenna (who, despite having a Dave Reichert sticker on his car, is a really smart and thoughtful guy.) We talked about the latest bad news from Sound Transit (the West Seattleite on the panel didn’t agree with my suggestion that we “cut them loose”), the Seattle City Council’s latest efforts to crack down on drug users and sex workers, a new lawsuit against Spokane’s ban on sleeping outdoors, and plenty more.